What We All Need [Kindle Edition]

Richard Crasta (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Hilarious yet satirical account of the author's approach to sex. --Savvy Magazine

Distinct and thought-provoking. With witty, sexy, and passionate style, Richard Crasta deals with India's tortured and confused Puritanism. --living.oneindia.in/home-n-garden/reviews/2008/richard-crasta-what-we-all-need-160508.html

if any Indian writer has pushed the boundaries of satirical writing, with dollops of sexual humour in his own distinctive style, it's Richard. --kitaabonline.wordpress.com/2009/08/24/catching-up-with-richard-crasta

Product Description

"Sex is the most fun you can have without laughing," said Woody Allen. In "What We All Need," there is no need to choose between sex and laughter, for this anthology is a unique and idiosyncratic mix of sex, humor, political satire, literary and public interest essays, and fiction in a voice that has not been observed in any other writer of Indian origin. It includes a longer version of "A Short History of My Pecker," "Effing for Humanity," "Good Morning, I Love You," and the title essay, which answers the question of what we all (including George W. Bush) need.

What We All Need discusses a broad range of subjects including love in Indonesia, safe sex and the Papist position, HIV, war and peace, physician-created addiction, and massage. Anti-colonialist, political, nonconformist, startling, this book is sometimes included by the author as the fourth book of his Freedom Quartet: the first three books being The Revised Kama Sutra: A Novel, Impressing the Whites, and The Killing of an Author

"Hilarious yet satirical account of the author's approach to sex."--Savvy Magazine

"Distinct and thought-provoking. . . subversively redefines history. With witty, sexy, and passionate style, Richard Crasta deals with India's tortured and confused Puritanism."--living.oneindia.in

"A profound anti-war philosophy . . . the true obscenity is the senseless waging of war."--The Telegraph.

"If any Indian writer has pushed the boundaries of satirical writing, with dollops of sexual humour (and satirical writing on a lot of other serious stuff) in his own distinctive style, it's Richard."--kitaabonline.wordpress.com

By the author of:

--The Revised Kama Sutra, A Novel: ("very funny"--Kurt Vonnegut), published in 14 editions in 10 countries.
--Impressing the Whites
--I Will Not Go the F to Sleep
--Massage No Boom Boom
--A Short History of Peckers
and other books.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 247 KB
• Publisher: Invisible Man Press; December 2011 Revised Edition edition (April 11, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• Language: English
• ASIN: B004W8CZW2
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #636,896 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

More About the Author

Richard Crasta was born in Bangalore, India, the son of a former World War II Prisoner of War who miraculously survived near-starvation and constant bombing thanks to a combination of quick reflexes and a diet of stealthily obtained coconuts.

Growing up Catholic in conservative Mangalore, Richard was attracted by the freedom and vitality of writers such as Saul Bellow and later, Henry Miller, and decided to become a writer. After a few years in the Indian Administrative Service, he moved to America, studied at Columbia University, and has published 9 books in 10 countries, and a few other titles only as e-books.

Richard's novel "The Revised Kama Sutra" was a sensation in India, and was published in 10 countries in 7 languages. Though technically a resident of New York, he spends most of his time in Asia. He is the father of 3 boys and of one kicking and screaming Inner Child.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Humourous; Amazing, Courageous, breathtaking and above all ingenious and humanistic, April 30, 2011

By 

Aashish - See all my reviews

This review is from: What We All Need (Kindle Edition)

This book came out after a 5-year long literary silence from the acclaimed Indian author Richard Crasta who sort of revolutionized Indian writing with his much talked about book "The Revised Kama Sutra" in the 1990s. He can easily be called a pioneer of courageous Indian writing with an impeccable sense of humor and uninhibited, unbridled talks straight out of the heart. His works exemplify one's struggle to break free of innumerable outer as well as inner censorships, retaining one's humanity and truthfulness to its core.

The title of this book attracted me--and why not, the mystery of "What we all need" when revealed by author--it opened up an ocean of laughter and innumerable realizations within me. When I read it for the first time, I felt at least this chapter titled "What we all need" must be read by all and sundry irrespective of the nationality, race, religion or creed. An acute insight well weaved with uncanny imagination and well narrated with excellent comic timing.

The book was alternatively subtitled "Works in Progress" by Crasta, and well enough - since it leaves you asking for more as you turn the leaves of this wonderful read - always carrying a smile on your lips and breaking down into hysterical laughter at different places (must say, it is not a easy read in silent public places - could make you look like a crazy person !!)

The chapters on Massage seem to have developed into a full blown book by now, since we can see a new book on the Amazon Kindle bookshelf titled "Massage No Boom Boom"--which is quite good news, since these 2 chapters leave your lungs gasping for breath, and one could hardly resist going in for new full book on this rare topic.

All in all - a book that will adorn your bookshelf and that will boost your spirits, increase your well-being, and of course, leave you in much better health with uncontrolled laughter and new realizations.